Success story?

It all started 10 years ago...

Don’t worry, I’m not about to dive into every detail of the last decade. This is not the traditional success story we are used to seeing. In fact, I am not sure you could even call it a personal success story at all. This is more of a reflection on starting a business, as well as some advice.?

So.?

Back then, I was just a developer, and both Incora and I were just starting our path.

At first, it was just the two of us: Tetiana Stoyko and me. All we had was an idea and a desire to deliver quality solutions. We started out as freelancers.

After a while, our team started to grow. One more person joined, then a few more, and after two months, we had a team of almost 10.?

It was around that time, after a year of being in the number of developers, that I started to realize there was potential for something bigger for both me and the team.?

I’ve always been drawn to more than just the technical side of things. Over time, as we grew, I shifted my focus to the business side. I worked on handling communications, making connections, and building networks, which were key aspects of turning Incora from a small team to a company with partners and customers around the world. This shift wasn't easy, but it played a huge role in shaping Incora into what it is today.?

Yet, the whole path was far from easy.?

See, why I don’t really enjoy stories like this anymore it’s because of the obsession with “successful success,” if you say so. When entrepreneurs, business owners, and CEOs tell their company story while omitting the challenges and issues they had to solve. This is not interesting anymore. We didn't want real stories.?

The reason why I am not really a fan of these stories anymore is the obsession with “perfect success.” You know, when entrepreneurs, business owners, or CEOs share their company stories, they often skip over the part where challenges appear. But we want real stories, don’t we? The ones that include a challenge, a solution, and all the failed tries.?

Well, what was ours??

Scaling up your business is always challenging, no matter how big or small or how experienced your team is. Now, how about a small business but with a fresh CEO who’s also finishing university studies? This is just a new level of complexity.?

Initially, managing the team’s rapid expansion seemed doable, but as we grew, I realized that it wouldn’t work without a more structured approach. This wasn’t only about hiring more people to fill positions that weren’t in demand before but also about creating clear processes and strengthening our management side.?

To overcome this challenge, we invested our effort, time, and cost in leadership development and redefined the role of our management staff to guide larger teams. Each growth phase presents its own set of challenges, whether it is a question of hierarchy, communication, decision-making, and many other aspects. Our solution ensured that our processes stayed strong and structured throughout all the stages of growth, as well as considering future changes, allowing us to grow strategically rather than chaotically.?

Each phase of growth brings new challenges, whether it's a question of hierarchy, communication, decision-making, or other aspects. Our solution made sure that our processes stayed strong and structurized through every stage. Moreover, it is fitted for future upgrades, so we could grow strategically, rather than chaotically.?

As we’re approaching the mark of 10 years, I'm gaining more knowledge, insights, and experience in business and leading a company. This year, a lot of changes were made as we continued to expand.?

Scaling a company isn’t easy, but with a clear goal and a willingness to learn, even through mistakes, growth becomes a natural outcome.

As you can probably tell by now, this isn’t just a personal success story — it’s a reflection on years of learning, refining, and improving my business strategy, shared as advice for anyone on a similar path.